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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. court — of a king
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. court — for sport
  12. capital — a city
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bat — the animal
  21. stock — shares
  22. capital — money
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pound — for dogs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com